New Analysis from the Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium Finds That Arming Teachers Is Unlikely to Deter Shootings
Albany, NY — The proposal to arm teachers as a response to school shootings has gained high-profile support from President Donald Trump, the majority of the Florida legislature, and the National Rifle Association, among others. But the existing evidence, reviewed in a new analysis by the Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium, indicates that such a policy would likely fail to make schools safer or effectively deter mass shooters.
The analysis by Jaclyn Schildkraut, assistant professor of public justice at SUNY Oswego and a national expert on mass shootings, looks primarily at law enforcement officers’ accuracy rates in firearm discharges to gauge the likely effectiveness of armed teachers in an active shooter scenario. The data from several studies show that, on average, trained officers hit their target 20-30 percent of the time. Civilians with less training are not likely to do better, Schildkraut argues.
A policy of arming teachers is likely to demand significant resources with little promise of success. Schildkraut argues instead for evidence-based policies to reduce gun violence and deter school shootings, such as strengthened child access prevention laws or investments in school door locks — both of which have been proven to save lives.
About the Rockefeller Institute of Government
The Rockefeller Institute of Government is the public policy research arm of the State University of New York. The Institute conducts fiscal and programmatic research on American state and local governments. Learn more at www.rockinst.org.
About the Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium
The Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium, a program of States for Gun Safety, is dedicated to the reduction of violence involving firearms through interdisciplinary research and analysis. Learn more.